Chapter 19

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I was so confused by the whole situation that I was getting ticked off so easily.
Lucy: “Mom, tell me what’s going on?! Who is in the bathroom??”

Mother: “Well you see your father….is.........isn't feeling well and is being stubborn about not going to the hospital. You know what he’s like.”

Lucy: “DAD OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT THIS INSTANT.”

Mother: “Lucy calm down-”

Lucy: “Mom, right now, he doesn’t sound good and who knows what happened to him? What if it’s something serious? And on top of that, where is Eric?”

Mother: “Lucy, he is still your older brother and you can’t call him by his name like that.”

I couldn’t disagree with her on that, but for the fact that right now, his family needs him and he is off to who knows where. He didn’t even tell mom about his whereabouts. No matter what the issue, I’ve never in my life on purpose called my brother by his name.
Lucy: “Well if he is older, then he should be here right to take him to the hospital!!”

Mother: “He isn’t…..picking up his phone. I called many times. I even tried calling his friends but no luck there and I’m not in any condition to take him to the hospital because of my back pain, which got worse.”

Lucy: “So let’s assume if I didn’t come. Then what would you do ma?”

Mother: “Right now, this is not the time for us to talk about it.”

She was right though. Because the sounds coming from inside the bathroom were telling me dad wasn’t getting any better and we had to take him to the hospital right away.

Lucy: “*Sigh* you’re right mom, okay.”

Then dad came out from the bathroom looking all pale and weak. And I couldn’t help but worry even more about him. I took him by his hand and told him we were going to the hospital and wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

I had told mom to stay at home since she had already had back pain. I assured her that I would be with dad.

As we were rushing to the hospital, I couldn’t help but feel rage all over inside my body. At these times, the most important person there to be was my brother. I mean yes, it’s very normal to not have your phone by your side sometimes. But for heaven’s sake, he is a grown man and should have some responsibility for his family. That doesn’t mean I don’t. It’s just that he should as well.

We reached the hospital and asked for an appointment with the doctor. Luckily to the hospital we went to, it wasn’t crowded or that would have been another issue.

After a few minutes of waiting, they took dad inside to do all sorts of tests. While mom was calling me from time to time to ask about the situation, I was just biting my nails without me realizing it. And it seemed like all the stress would just eat me up.

Actually, I’ve never seen my dad in such a situation and even though we aren’t very close in terms of communication, that doesn’t imply that we don’t care for one other. My father doesn’t get ill often which is something I’m grateful for. It’s just that I was so taken aback by it all happening so suddenly.

In the end, after a bunch of tests, the results concluded that dad had food poisoning.  It’s great that we know what problem he has. It was just that now, he has to recover from it. Being the curious person I am, starting wondering, “What did he eat that could have possibly caused this?”

The doctor had prescribed him medicine and I was listening to him the whole time. On the way home, I told dad strictly that he was going to take his medicine and thought about staying at home for a while with my family. For the little kittens at home, I would arrange someone to be with them and I could also go home sometime so they wouldn’t be lonely.

When we reached home, I thought maybe Eric would be there as well but to my disappointment, I was wrong about that.

Mom: “So what all did the doctor say?”

I told her all what the doctor said and showed her the medicines he was supposed to take.

Lucy: “I’ll stay at home for a few days if that’s okay with you guys. Because I’m concerned about dad and even Er- Brother, isn’t home.”

Dad: “If it’s because of me Lucy, then it's fine. After taking the medicine, I’ll be okay.”

Lucy: “Yes dad, I know. But I won’t be at peace and mom also has back pain so I will help her around the house.”

Dad: “Alright Child….Okay.”

The day went on like that and yet there was no sign of brother. Mom said not to be worried about it too much because it happened most of the time. And I was still angry of course and looked at the clock continuously to see when he would come home.

It was past midnight and I was awake waiting for him. I wasn’t going to sleep without having a word with him.

After what seemed like decades of me waiting for him, I heard the door unlock and stood up from where I was sitting to see him.

Eric: “Oh hey sis. How have you been-”

Lucy: “Save it, Brother. I don’t want to ask you twice. Where is your phone?”

Eric: “Um I don’t see what the problem is-”

I couldn’t take it and since he was older than me, of course, I had to give him respect. Now I wasn’t holding it in anymore.

Lucy: “I’M ASKING YOU WHERE YOUR PHONE IS.”

Eric: “Lucy what the-”

Lucy: “SHUT IT!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TODAY?? NO, RIGHT??”

Eric: “I-”

Lucy: “FIRST OF ALL, WHERE WERE YOU?”

Eric: “I was hanging out with my friends and my phone was out of battery so that’s why I couldn’t-”

Lucy: “WOULD IT HURT YOU TAKE A POWER BANK FOR YOUR DAMN PHONE. WHEN YOU HAVE AN IDEA THAT “OH, MAYBE MY PHONE MIGHT DIE.” AND “WHAT IF MOM IS CALLING ME FOR SOMETHING?””

Eric: “Will you calm down!!-”

Lucy: “DAD HAD BEEN VOMITING AND MOM COULDN’T TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF HER BACK PAIN. AND KNOWING DAD, YOU SHOULD KNOW HE CAN BE STUBBORN SOMETIMES. WHILE YOU WERE OUT THERE, “HANGIN OUT” WITH YOUR FRIENDS, WE NEEDED YOU HERE.”

Eric: “Lucy I-”

Lucy: “YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES, ERIC! AND NOT TO MENTION, BEING THERE FOR YOUR FAMILY IS ONE. THERE ARE TIMES EVEN I NEEDED A BROTHER, AND YOU WEREN’T THERE. MY OWN BROTHER, WHO ALWAYS JUST WENT OUT AND HUNG OUT WITH HIS PALS. WHEN HIS LITTLE SISTER NEEDED HIM, POOF! GONE! NOWHERE TO BE SEEN. I ALWAYS WANTED TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU BUT YOU NEVER GAVE ME TIME.”

I said to him while crying.

I was so angry that I didn’t know what I was saying and that’s what I hate about myself. That when I’m angry, I mess up so much that I don’t even know how to explain.

And right then, I was sure I looked like tinker bell when she was mad at her best friend Terence. That time, when he had messed up.

Eric: “Lucy can you please let me-”

I couldn’t bear to face him so I turned around and my tears burst out of my eyes even more. I just headed to my room and shut the door. I could hear him calling for my name and knocking on the door, but I just wouldn’t speak to him. I thought to myself, “What have I done……”

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